Published August 2, 2018, 6:59 PM
By Ben Rosario

Two more senior members of the House of Representatives lost their chairmanship as the new leadership continued a revamp of key posts including the chairmanship of the Committee on Justice.

Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali’s record eight-year run as chair of the justice panel is expected to end within the month with the impending election of provincemate Rep. Doy C. Leachon as his replacement.

This developed as the new opposition faction that counts former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and former Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas as members, elected ABS Partylist Rep. Eugene Michael De Vera as minority leader during a meeting Thursday.

On Wednesday, Reps. Vicente Veloso (PDP-Laban, Leyte) and Rodrigo Abellanosa (PDP-Laban, Cebu) were elected chairman of the House Committees on Constitutional Reform and Natural Resources, respectively.

Veloso replaced Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado while Abellanosa took over the post of LPGMA Partylist Rep. Arnel Ty. Mercado and Ty were deemed resigned after joining De Vera’s minority group.

Previously, the new House leadership under former president now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo elected Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya as majority leader and 1SAGIP PartylistRep.RodanteMarcoleta as deputy majority leader, replacing Fariñas and Pampanga Rep. Juan Pablo B. Bondoc, respectively.

Batangas Rep. Eileen Ermita-Buhain was also stripped of her chairmanship of the Committee on Accounts for allegedly rejecting Arroyo’s bid to become speaker. She was replaced by Leyte Rep. YeddaRomualdez.

The reorganization is expected to continue next week as the majority bloc finalized the list of candidates for the positions vacated as a result of resignations in the Malacañang-backed coalition.

Considered resigned as committee chairmen are Reps. Lucy Torres-Gomez for tourism; MauyagPapandayan Jr. for Muslim Affairs; and Umali, for justice.

The fate of Rep. Rodito Albano III (NP, Isabela) as member of the Commission on Appointments remains unknown as membership to the body is based on party affiliation.

Three factions

Meanwhile, Fariñas said De Vera will lead their group of 14 congressmen as the rightful House minority bloc.

“In our meeting at 9 am today, of the duly constituted minority in the House of Representatives, as held in the case of Baguilat et al vs Alvarez et al (G.R. No. 227757, July 25, 2017)), we unanimously elected Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Michael Eugene De Vera as the new minority leader,” said Fariñas.

De Vera’s leadership of the minority bloc has been rejected as “farce” by Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez who claimed that he has never resigned his post as minority leader.

Also, claiming leadership of the Lower House opposition is Marikina City Rep. MiroQuimbo who has the backing of at least 18 congressmen representing Liberal Party, Makabayan bloc and the Magnificent Seven.

”It is important not only for GMA (Arroyo) but the House as an institution to have a credible and real minority who can provide real check and balance. Installing a fake opposition will diminish any significant accomplishment of the chamber,” said Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice, a supporter of Quimbo.

Erice said the LP bloc is the “only group that can provide effective fiscalizing” in the chamber.

No ill feelings

The PDP-Laban held a national leadership meeting Thursday following drawbacks brought about by the change of leadership in the House of Representatives and the election of new party leaders of a group of alleged renegades.

Alvarez, PDP-Laban secretary-general said he has no ill feelings against partymates who abandoned him on July 23 to elect Arroyo as speaker.

The “pain lasted for only 24 hours,” Alvarez said and called on PDP-Laban colleagues to set aside political differences for the sake of party unity.

Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez, head of the PDP-Laban contingent in the Lower House, lauded Alvarez’s actions that demonstrated “political wisdom” that will further strengthen the most dominant political group in the country.

“Congressman Alvarez told us that politics and friendship can be different. We may not agree on certain political beliefs but we must maintain friendship,” said Benitez.

At least 50 PDP-Laban congressmen showed up at the party caucus held at a Quezon City hotel. At least 110 national leaders headed by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, party president were present.

But while Alvarez claimed he was no longer hurting from what appeared to be a betrayal of partymates, his actions betrayed his statements.

The former House leader will no longer reconsider his decision to abandon the super majority which he created. Alvarez declared he has joined the minority faction headed by De Vera.

Two of 14 senior congressmen who followed Alvarez’s lead in bolting the super majority and in joining De Vera changed their minds and were received back to the majority bloc by Majority Leader Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr.

Reps. Johnny Ty-Pimentel (PDP-Laban, Surigao del Sur) and Mayo Almario (PDP-Laban, Davao Oriental) returned to the fold of the majority group. They are expected to retain their positions as chairman of the House Committee on Good Government and member of the Commission on Appointments, respectively.

Alvarez said there are no plans to replace De Vera as minority leader of their group, saying that they are comfortable under his leadership.